The Unlikely Cook

One of the things that I’ve been hoping for is a good delivery service when it comes to buying groceries. I’m wheelchair-bound because of progressive multiple sclerosis, and need to plan my day to get things done. I have to find ways to continue to function. The key to this are strategy and efficiency.

Stumbled upon MetroMart’s Facebook Page, and registered for the service. Was happy to find fresh produce, meat, and seafood from SM Supermarket.

They currently cater to Makati, Taguig, Mandaluyong, and Pasig, and charge a ₱40 delivery fee per store. So if you buy something from Eric Kayser, Babci and Benefit, that’s ₱40 (3) = ₱120. Or if you buy groceries only from one store like SM Markets, that would be ₱40 in addition to the total cost reflected in your Check-out page. That fee is waived for first-time deliveries.

Their friendly and highly interactive customer representative will keep you updated based on the instructions you’ve specified on the Check-out page.

The prices reflect store prices. And if the price varies, you may elect to be informed about it, or give them the authority to purchase the goods (or their substitute) immediately.

I purchased meat and fresh produce, and was immediately informed about availability and change in prices.

MetroMart personnel was helpful and efficient. And the shopper selected the good stuff.

Very happy with the outcome. Will definitely use their services again.

MetroMart is an enabling service for people like me with mobility concerns. I can get things done in a way that is affordable, and doesn’t cause too much stress (especially since I’m trying to recover from a nasty relapse).

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 large egg till light-colored and fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of honey and continue to whisk so that it retains its consistency. Add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and 1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil. Whisk again. Add the almond milk mix that you made earlier on, and keep whisking to make sure it stays light and fluffy.

Create a well in the middle of the bowl with the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently fold the wet with the dry stuff. Do not mix the batter too much because it will yield hard pancakes. This is also the time when you add the tidbits and/or fruits that you want, but make sure they are dry and are at room temperature.

Today, I read something beautiful from the Facebook Page of MS—Living Symptom-Free that says, “When MS knocks you down, roll over and look at the stars”. So that’s what I’m attempting to do today—look at the stars.

Anyway, ‘tis the season to be jolly, and in the spirit of nostalgia (and trying to add flavor to my life), here is my take on gluten-free, dairy-free bibingka that doesn’t use refined sugar.

First of all, preheat your oven at 190ºC before preparing your ingredients.

Get a small circular cake tin (about 7 inches in diameter), grease with either coconut oil or sunflower oil, then line with a banana leaf, cut to fit the container. Lightly spray with sunflower oil then set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together a cup non-glutenous rice flour, a fourth of an eight (or 0.03125) teaspoon (or let’s just say a very frugal Ebenezer Scrooge dash) of salt, and 1 ½ teaspoon of baking powder.

Add the flour mix into the batter and mix till smooth. Pour into the baking container you prepared earlier. Top with the whites of the salted eggs and place it in the oven to bake. I included the yolk just for the picture, but removed it before eating it because it’s just too salty for my taste (or maybe it’s because this recent bug has compromised my tastebuds).

After 15 minutes, shift the temperature to 150ºC and leave to bake for another 20 minutes. Lightly coat it with some Earth Balance™ dairy-free, soy-free and gluten-free butter, and top with coconut shavings. Eat with your favorite morning beverage.

This should feed 4 people, so enjoy a piece and find 3 people to share this with (or chuck it in the fridge so you can heat and serve it later). It’s tempting, but don’t gobble this up on your own in one go. And that’s true for most of the recipes on this website.